Review Detail

THE EXECUTIONERS THREE is an engaging supernatural murder-mystery that keeps the reader on their toes. The story follows Freddie, a teen who is anything but cool and only has one friend, Divya - until she calls the police on a scream she hears in the woods and ends up busting up a huge party for the rival school. Now, the cool kids (including her crush) want her help with pranking their rivals.

However, the scream in the woods that Freddie heard was an actual case, but the death has been deemed self-inflicted makes her suspicious. As Freddie searches for more information and seeks to figure out what is happening in her small town, she will find herself wrapped up in something more dangerous and deadly than she ever could have suspected.

What I loved: This is an intriguing premise and I loved the way that the supernatural was tied up in the case with a spooky murder-mystery feel. As Freddie pulls together the bits and pieces related to the case, it gets bigger and darker and infinitely more intriguing. With little hints along the way, this had dark and spooky elements that made it a perfect fall read.

At the same time, there is a lot of teen drama and a bit of romance that added to the fun. Freddie is still a high schooler, and even if she wasn't always cool, she still cares deeply about those around her, especially her BFF. The romance and other elements of teen drama were a touch of fun amidst the dark and spooky mystery, and they worked really well to help break the tension and to get the reader invested in the characters involved.

Freddie was a really fun main character, and the story is told from her perspective. She felt like a teen with crushes and some confusion, but she ultimately grows in her trust in herself and her capabilities throughout the story. She is tenacious and clever, and her perspective was a lot of fun. Similarly, the romantic interest was also really compelling, and while there was a potential other crush, he was a stand-out from the start, and they seemed well-suited.

The way the case develops was great and keeps the reader hooked. The end was satisfying with good resolution, though there was a bit of an opening to maybe have this amateur supernatural sleuth appear in future books (and I would totally be on board with that!)

Final verdict: THE EXECUTIONERS THREE is an engaging YA supernatural murder-mystery with compelling characters, teen drama, and a consuming case. Recommend picking this one up!

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.